Rufio DeLeon
Regarded as 'The Unbroken' and heralded as the First Shield of the Margrave, no single man commands as much respect within Vallenhall as Rufio DeLeon- save perhaps the Margrave himself. He is by far the most loyal, useful retainer the Vallian family has ever been blessed to employ, and has displayed undying devotion time and again both to Vallenhall, and Keak Vallian himself. Physical Description Rufio DeLeon towers over most human men, and stands eye to eye with even particularly large Elves or average Tauren. Truly, he is an awe-inspiring battlefield tank of a man, and he makes full use of this imposing build. Never seen without his iconic overly-heavy fullplate which looks almost to have been hewed from stone, Rufio reminds most people of nothing so much as an immortal, a Titanic construct or statue carved to guard its resting place for all eternity. His voice rings out from within his helmet as a deep, husky rumble. At times, some might mistake it for the booming intonation of an elemental of some kind, reverberating and powerful as it is. The man has never been seen outside of his armor, save by the Margrave himself and some of his inner circle, building something of an air of mystery to outsiders. The men of Vallenhall couldn't care less what's truly underneath The Unbroken's helmet, though. When they look to him, they see his chipped, beaten, but never broken tower shield; and they know all will remain well in their world. Personality Rufio is a quiet, stoic soul at his core. He lives by very few words, trading banter only rarely and only with men he deeply respects. While difficult to carry a conversation with, he is quite easily understood, and ultimately very simple to interact with once this understanding is gained. While he may barely speak, he will still respond in his own way, and much can be picked up from the body language of a mute man. The Unbroken is perhaps the only man in Vallenhall who shares as much genuine love and pride in his fellow soldiers and homeland as the Margrave does. No man would more readily put himself between Vallenhall and her enemies, and no man would sooner take up the sword in retribution against her foes. He exemplifies all that a soldier of Vallenhall is meant to be, even going above and beyond in these regards. As Rufio holds the position of First Brother of the Cindic Reach, he is essentially the closest thing the small monastic order has to a leader or High Priest. One must ultimately wonder what sort of faith it is that a man such as Rufio DeLeon would be taken for it's most pious follower, indeed. History Very little is known of Rufio's life history and upbringing. A relatively recent addition to Vallenhall, he only joined the Margrave's retinue and later took up the mantle of Commander during the Second War. All that is known beyond a doubt is that Rufio is not a Vallenhall native. Common understanding is that the towering man was the last survivor of a village which had been sacked and burnt by the Orcish Horde, and the Margrave came upon him and brought him into his army during the march southwards. Following this time, Rufio has served with outstanding distinction and gusto. He is rumored to have never once fallen in combat, whether by wound or exhaustion. Moreover, he has served as the nearest thing which the Margrave has to a bodyguard for almost as long as he's served Vallenhall at all; earning him his honorary title of 'First Shield of the Margrave', in the same style as the Margrave's own moniker of 'First of the Valiant'. Following the end of the Third War, Lord Vallian knighted Rufio- making him the founding, and thus far only, member of the minor House DeLeon.Category:Characters